Jefferson County Master Gardener 2026 Yard and Garden Lectures

Jefferson County Master Gardeners Foundation’s 2026 Yard & Garden Lecture Series will be underway soon. All lectures are given in the Erickson Hall at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds and will run on six consecutive Saturday mornings from 10 a.m. until noon: January 10, 17, 24 and 31, and February 7 and 14. The lectures will feature the following experts in their fields:

Dr. Ross Bayton — director of Heronswood Garden. Ross is the author of several books on horticulture, including The Gardener’s Botanical: An Encyclopedia of Latin Plant Names, New Trees: Introductions to Cultivation (with John Grimshaw), and Plant Families: A Guide for Gardeners and Botanists (with Simon Maugham). He holds a doctorate from the Royal Botanic Gardens where he studied the classification of tropical palms. Ross will give a lecture on January 10:“Gardening on a Warming Planet: Insights from Heronswood.”

Marni Sorin — garden educator at Tilth Alliance, caregiver for the Good Shepherd Center Learning Garden (along with volunteers), and small-scale organic gardener. Marni holds a master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Washington, and a Certificate in Education for Environment and Community from IslandWood. Marni’s lecture on January 17 will be “Growing Practices for a Resilient Edible Garden.”

Dr. Kathleen Wolf — University of Washington research social scientist

studying interactions between human and ecological systems, writer, and a key

collaborator with the U.S. Forest Service Pacific NW Research Station on urban forestry

studies. Kathleen holds a doctorate in Landscape Architecture and a master’s in

Landscape Architecture, both from the University of Michigan. Kathleen’s lecture on

January 24 will be “Rooted in Research: How Urban Forests Sustain Us.”

Lisa Taylor — educator, consultant, contributing author of the Maritime Northwest Garden Guide, 2nd ed., and Your Farm in the City: An Urban Dweller’s Guide to Growing Food and Raising Animals. Lisa is a Master Composter, a pioneer in children’s gardening, and has been teaching people of all ages to garden organically for 30 years. Lisa’s lecture on January 31 will be “Designing for Drought: Waterwise Designs with Native Plants.”

Dr. Steve Hampton — avid birder, writer, Conservation Chair and Christmas Bird Count Compiler for Rainshadow Bird Alliance, an enrolled citizen of Cherokee Nation, and a former resource economist for the California Department of Fish & Game. Steve holds a doctorate in resource economics. Steve’s presentation on February 7 will be “Backyard Sanctuaries: Gardening for Birds and Biodiversity."

Jenny Glass — plant diagnostician for the WSU-Puyallup Plant and Insect Diagnostic

Laboratory, and instructor. In addition to diagnosing plant problems on Pacific Northwest crops and ornamentals, she also teaches plant pathology, diagnosis, and integrated pest management to Master Gardeners and other audiences in western Washington. Jenny holds a master’s degree in botany and plant pathology from Oregon State University. Jenny’s lecture on February 14 will be “Working with Nature: Smarter, Safer Pest Management.” Master Gardener plant clinicians will also be on hand to answer gardening questions. Jefferson County Master Gardener Foundation Chair Harry Hayward says, “This year’s Yard & Garden Lecture Series has something for everyone: landscaping and gardening insights, connecting with our forests, water conservation, birding, and pest management.”

Each lecture will run from 10 a.m.– noon. Lectures will last about 90 minutes with a 15-minute break at the half. Each event will be followed by audience Q and A. The price for the entire six-lecture series is $75 (plus tax); single-event tickets are available for $15 (plus tax). “Day-of” tickets, purchased in person, are $20 (tax included). Tickets may be purchased from 2026YardAndGarden.eventbrite.com.

Ticket sales help support Jefferson County Master Gardener programs. For more information, visit jcmgf.org. The event is cosponsored by Washington State University’s Jefferson County Extension Service. Sponsors include Quimper Mercantile, Scott Rogers, John L. Scott Real Estate, and Valley Nursery.